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Hydrogen atom transfer processes are commonly encountered in chemical and biological systems. Here the authors report a redox-neutral hydrogen atom transfer through the activation of hydrosilanes with a Lewis base. Further, they demonstrate that this initial step can be directed towards hydrosilylation or polymerization depending on the choice of catalyst.
The selective catalytic oxidation of ammonia with palladium is an important reaction in the context of NOx abatement, although limited structural information about the catalyst under reaction conditions is available. Now, an operando study reveals the speciation of palladium and identifies crucial palladium–nitride species.
Developing catalytic reactions for organic synthesis is the central goal of countless research groups worldwide. High-throughput experimentation is invaluable for this pursuit, with the requisite tools becoming increasingly available to both industrial and academic research labs.
Optimization of catalytic stereoselectivity for new substrates often requires a time consuming experimental process, and high-accuracy molecular modelling remains intractable for comprehensive virtual screening. Now, highly enantioselective rhodium hydrogenation catalysts have been identified using a rapid computational transition-state analysis protocol and then experimentally verified.
MOFs have found limited application in catalysis so far, as the result of their limited thermal and hydrolytic stability. Now, non-thermal plasma is shown to be able to promote and sustain the activity of HKUST-1 and other MOFs towards the water–gas shift reaction despite the presence of water. [In a previous version of the graphical abstract, CO conversion was incorrectly labelled CO2 conversion.]
Amide bond formation is a hugely important reaction in organic synthesis. This Perspective examines the factors that influence the choice of reaction conditions for this process, comparing widely used stoichiometric reagents with catalysts. The authors draw on both academic and industrial data and focus on the efficiency, scope and sustainability of the various approaches.
Production of industrial chemicals from renewable biomass feedstock plays an important role in addressing limited fossil fuel resources, climate change and environmental problems. This Review provides a comprehensive overview of biological and chemical routes for the synthesis of industrial chemicals derived from key precursor metabolites of central carbon metabolic pathways, and visualizes the results in a global bio-based chemicals map.
The ability to functionalize normally unreactive sites in molecules opens up tremendous flexibility in synthesis design and structural modification, in addition to reducing the need for multiple steps or highly reactive reagents. Now, a dual-catalytic strategy, demonstrated with the methods for the β-arylation of aliphatic alcohols and for the enantioselective γ-hydroarylation of allylic alcohols, is reported for such reactions.